The Latest: Blagojevich’s brother hopeful after court order
Jul 21, 2015, 1:48 PM
FILE - In this Dec. 7, 2011 file photo, former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, left, speaks to reporters as his wife, Patti, listens at the federal building in Chicago, after Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years on 18 corruption counts. In a ruling released Tuesday, July 21, 2015, the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturned some of the corruption convictions of the imprisoned former governor, saying prosecutors did not prove Blagojevich broke the law as he appeared to try to auction off an appointment to President Barack Obama's old Senate seat. (AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
(AP Photo/M. Spencer Green, File)
CHICAGO (AP) — The latest on a federal appeals court ruling that overturned some of the corruption convictions of imprisoned former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich (all times CDT):
3:15 p.m.
Rod Blagojevich’s brother says he’s hopeful after an appeals court overturned some corruption convictions against the former Illinois governor.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Tuesday ruled prosecutors did not prove the Democrat broke the law when he tried to get a Cabinet position in President Barack Obama’s administration in exchange for appointing Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat.
Robert Blagojevich has said his brother’s 14-year sentence was unfair. He tells The Associated Press his brother was a victim of a partial system. He hopes Tuesday’s decision brings some “semblance of justice.”
The Tennessee businessman released a book this year about the case.
He agreed to work as chief fundraiser for his brother in 2008. Agents arrested his brother later that year. Charges against Robert Blagojevich were dropped after jurors deadlocked, but he says it cost him his reputation and nearly $1 million in legal bills.
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3 p.m.
A federal appeals court has ordered that former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich be resentenced as part of a ruling that overturned some of his corruption convictions.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago on Tuesday ruled prosecutors did not prove the Democrat broke the law when he tried to get a Cabinet position in President Barack Obama’s administration in exchange for appointing a top Obama adviser to Obama’s old Senate seat.
The court dismissed five of the 18 counts Blagojevich was convicted of.
The ruling means the 58-year-old could serve less than his original 14-year sentence, although the court did say the sentence was not necessarily too high.
Prosecutors could appeal the ruling or could choose to retry Blagojevich on the dropped counts, though prosecutors often decline to retry a case if most of the counts are upheld.
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2:20 p.m.
An appeals court has tossed out some of imprisoned ex-Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s convictions that he sought to sell or trade President Barack Obama’s old U.S. Senate seat.
The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago released the dramatic ruling Tuesday.
It wasn’t immediately clear whether the decision means the Democrat faced will serve less than the 14 years he was sentenced to in 2011.
Jurors convicted the 58-year-old of 18 corruption counts over two trials. Most related to charges he tried to swap an appointment to Obama’s vacated seat for campaign money or a job.
The court upheld some of those counts and others linked to separate play-to-pay schemes.
During arguments over Blagojevich’s appeal, the court focused on where the line was between legal and illegal political horse-trading.
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